"How much?" was our first reaction when we discovered the Basecamp lantern. And then we unboxed it and started trying to get our head around its multitude of features.
It really does feel as if someone has sat down and tried to address every problem anyone has ever had with a camping lantern.
Want a 'big' light that also packs down small for your rucksack? Tick: three adjustable folding legs mean the Basecamp can stand on any uneven surface, raised up so that the light is cast as far and wide as possible. The rubberised globe is ingenious too: squash it down until it sticks and you reduce the packed size of the lantern by half.
Need a bight but not dazzling light? Tick: pop the globe back up and the reflective diffuser creates a bright but not dazzling light from the 250 watt Ultralight LEDs in the base, that is reminiscent of a gauze gas lantern - without the noise, ignition and safety issues. A dimmer switch adjusts the brightness for even more control.
Prefer to hang the light from the roof of your tent or a branch? Tick: a rubber hanging loop doubles as a carrying handle and can be adjusted to hook the Basecamp anywhere. Flip it over and you'll find that all three of the legs will hook onto guys or tent loops for an over-head light.
Prefer a red light to preserve your night vision? Tick: twist the dimmer switch to the left and you get a red light, which is good enough to tidy your camp with while still being able to see the stars!
Want to find the thing in the dark when it's switched off? Tick: the Basecamp's globe glows in the dark with a luminous green.
Weatherproofing? Tick: Rated to IPX6 against water ingress, the Basecamp will easily cope with rain showers but won't work (for long, anyway) under water.
Burn time is a claimed maximum of 40 hours on minimum brightness and 8 on maximum from three AA alkaline batteries, and the Basecamp weighs 358g.
In summary, this is a fantastic, innovative, robust and versatile camping lantern that creates plenty of illumination for your whole campsite, and in our opinion justifies its fairly high price.
Basecamp SRP: £59.95
Power: 250 lumens (white LED)
Lamp: 1 Maxbright LED (dimmable), 1 Red Ultrabright LED (dimmable)
Burn Time: Up to 40 hours
Batteries: 3 x AA alkaline (included)
Water Resistant: IPX6
Weight: 345g with batteries
